hyatt



R'. C. PRUYN-8v 0.4M. HYATT.

.Book-Slate.

.Y www Patented Nlay I1. 1880.

`Nrrnn vvSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT C. PRUYN AND CHARLES M. HYATT, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE EMBOSSING COMPANY.

BOOK-SLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.,227,574, dated May 11, 1880.

Application filed January 7, 1880.A A i To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ROBERT C. PRUYN and CHARLES M. HYATT, both of the city and county of Albany, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Book-Slates, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, lin which- Figure l shows our slate as it appears when one side of the cover is thrown back. Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof. Fig. 3 shows one side ofthe cover folded under the other. Fig. 4 is a detail view.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

Our invention relates to that class of slates embodying a tablet or slate proper, a wooden or other frame to the slate, and a cover; and it consists in certain novel means for joining the slate frame and cover, whereby the latter is left intact while the article obtains the requisite strength.

The letter A in the drawings designates the tablet or slate proper; B, its frame, and C the cover.

By the term slate proper is meant the article used in schools and elsewhere for frequent writing and erasure, whether such article is made of argillaceous material, roughened glass, porcelain, or other substance.

The frame B is made of wood or other suitable material, and is applied to the slate A in any usual or suitable manner.

The lcover C has substantially the features of a book-cover, the same consisting of two side parts or cheeks, C C', and a back, C2 and for the purpose of uniting or attaching the slate-frame B to the cover we make use of strips,'D D, of cloth or other flexible material, which are respectively fastened to the interior of the cover on opposite sides of the slate,

while they overlap and are fastened to one' side of the slate-frame in such a manner that the frame is held in a position centrally to the back C2, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

To fasten the liexible strips D D, we use an adhesive substance or cement, such as glue, and in this example we have fastened such strips also to the slate-frame B by that means.

lf desired, however, the attachment of the connecting-strips to the slate-frame B may be effected in other ways, as by tacks, `or by stitches going through holes in the frame.

The advantage peculiar to the attachingstrips D D is, that they leave the'coverC intact, and thus not only preserve the good appearance of the article, but also relieveV the cover of its. liability to be torn, as when Wires or other fastenings passing through the cover are used for confining the slate-frame. Said attaching-strips at the same time produce a joint of superior strength, inasmuch as the strain thereon is in a plane with the material composing the strips and is distributed throughout the whole length thereof.

In schools and other places where slates are used the noise or vibration resulting from the dropping of the slates on a desk or other sur-- face is a source of much annoyance. 'In the class of slates to which our invention belongs this noise is obviated to an extent by the cover C, and to increase the effect of the cover to that end we provide the edges of the covers with a -continuous binding, F, of felt cloth or other similar yielding material, which binding incloses the edges of the covers and extends over a narrow portion of both the inside and outside of the same, whereby all sound is muffled or deadened when the article comes in contact with a desk or other hard surface whether the covers be opened or closed.

The binding on the inside of the covers is of sufficient width to extend within the outer edges of the slate-frame, thereby also acting as a pad for 'the same.

With the cover C are combined pencil-holding loops g, by preference of like material to the pads E.

The sides C C' ofthe cover are rigid, while the back C2 is iiexible, and the latter is made of such width that it is capable-of folding over on itself a suflicient distance to allow one of the sides to be laid under the other, as indicated in Fig. 3, Without injury. In this manner the article is adapted to be brought into a small space, which is a desideraturn, espe cially in school-rooms.

We usually provide the exible back C2 of the cover. with strengthening-ribs e, which are of a width equal, or nearly so, to the thickness of the slate-frame B, and so arranged that the IOO central rib is opposite to such frame, so that4 these ribs do not interfere With the folding of the back.

We are aware that it is not new in itself to combine a cover with 2L slate and slate-frame, and do not claim such :is our invention; but

What We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the cover C and slate A, having a suitable inclosing-frame, B, ot' the iiexible strips D D, extending along the opposite sides of the said frame and connected therewith and to the inner surfaces of the cover, forming a. hinge for the slate-frame, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing 15 we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 27th day of December, 1879.

ROBERT C. PRUYN. CHAS. M. HYATT.

[L. s. [1.. s.l 

